Welfare Reform: HHS' Progress in Implementing Its Responsibilities

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) implementation of the mandates resulting from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, focusing on the: (1) extent to which HHS reduced its full-time equivalent (FTE) staff levels to the levels prescribed by the law; (2) clarity, timeliness, and usefulness of HHS' guidance and technical assistance to the states in implementing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; (3) status of HHS' work in establishing performance measures to use in implementing the high-performance bonus program; and (4) status of HHS' welfare research and evaluation efforts.